Photo: dynamobasket.com
TAIL WAS OUT, WINGS GROWN
The most amazing basketball was demonstrated by Dynamo. One would like to say that Panathinaikos would not have resisted such a performance, but everyone remembers all too well the Euroleague quarterfinals, in which the Greeks easily dealt with blue and white. But then the “Pao” into the insolent allowed the Dynamo to throw three-pointer, knowing well that this component of Dynamo traditionally fails. Get them green on that day ...
Although Dusan Ivkovic began with a forced move. Instead of the injured Popovich, he released the young Khvostov in the starting five - and, as it turned out, did not lose. The organization, the game in defense and the sharpness of action, the fragile playmaker was in no way inferior to some drooping leader of the Russian national team Holden.
But the main character was another defender of the national team. Bykov, who in the first match was engaged mainly in ramming, on Thursday went to the perimeter, whence only in the first quarter he sent 4 of 4 goals to the target. More that evening Sergey did not have time to mark anything, on the contrary, he picked up fouls, but the thing was done. The main thing - confidence in the throw returned to the guests, and they realized an incredible 78 percent (11 out of 14).
In general, talking about the match between two cool teams, I do not want to speak the language of numbers. But these figures are very eloquent: in response to the accuracy of Dynamo snipers, the army team offered 0-7 "three rubles" Langdon, 1-6 Holden and 0-3 Smodis. And the most reliable member of CSKA turned out to be Ponkrashov, who won a place at the base due to Torres's planned vacation. Ponkrashov and Papaloukas, like the day before, organized a chase and even succeeded in this, out of “-15” making a draw at the beginning of the third quarter. Theo and Anton even became involuntary participants in the scandal that erupted before the big break. Ivkovic considered that the judges at the table started a stopwatch late in the last attack of CSKA, which left 5.5 seconds. The attack ended with the exact “three” Ponkrashov with a siren, and therefore caused such a storm of indignation. True, as the video replays showed, after Papaloukas got the ball, they gave the hosts 2-3 tenths of a second (they can be completely attributed to a belated reaction), which would not have prevented Anton from catching the ball. Triumphant Ivkovic hastened to write this episode as an argument in conspiracy theory ...
Meanwhile, his team was clearly superior in the mood of the rivals, according to Messina, emasculated after the “Final Four”. Ettore recalled last year’s semifinal series with UNICS, in which the future champion began with a home defeat ...
ORDER FROM KAZAN
With faith in the best, two more teams will come to Moscow, despite the superiority in the series of one of them. UNICS and Khimki in Kazan demonstrated something similar to the match held simultaneously in the capital, only the favorite still won, having received leadership that puts the opponent on the edge.
There were no personnel surprises, but the “three-pointer” as the navel of the earth, the breathtaking chases and the activity of the defender of the Russian team absolutely coincide.
Kazan in a sense acted as CSKA. Even in a stronger position - UNICS in the current season is considered a team that has brought to absolute use of the home site factor. And here - there are miracles! - long-range crown throws are messed up for the hosts, and the guests methodically go ahead, bringing the advantage to 17 points. The beginning of the third quarter seemed to confirm in the thought that Khimki seriously intended to win. Moreover, the Kazan attack began to seem somewhat messy. Strange, but out of the confusion the chase was born. Meshcheryakov got a “three-ruble note” through his hand, Chikalkin was twice taken to a free throw - spontaneously, when the guests did not have time to rebuild the defense - and UNICS began to pull himself up. As confidence was restored, other situations, more logical and structured, began to be realized.
Kazan’s jerk turned out impressive, but the initiative did not want to rest peacefully in someone else’s hands. Having scored five points in two attacks, Veremeenko again brought Khimki ahead, but the last word was left to Dariush Lavrinovich. The guests received a short period to save the game - alas, the team helped out in recent overtime against the regional Dynamo Booker missed twice in the final seconds.
Now on Sunday, true game lovers will have to come up with ways to quickly get from Khimki to Krylatskoye. Or vice versa.
Nikolai TSYNKEVICH